Make Me Forget
by rest for the wicked
Summary: When Yoruichi is kicked out by her parents her life goes to hell. Can getting her only love back into her life fix the mess thats left of it? rated M for the content of later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Make Me Forget**

_disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters from the series, the plot and non-Bleach characters are my only original contributions_

A Soifon x Yoruichi Shihōin AU fanfic

**Chapter 1**

Months had gone by since they had all seen each other. With the end of the school year and the conclusion of their high school career, everyone had been busy with their own agendas; some spending time with family and celebrating the start of their new life, others spending time alone, wishing they had something…or someone to look forward to. It wasn't until a certain Shiba woman suggested it, that the old group of friends got together once more to enjoy the company they all secretly missed.

"Hey, Kūkaku! Where should I put this?" Kisuke gasped, laden with a dozen or so bags of food.

"Urahara, quit being such a wimp and get over here and help with the rest of this crap!" came a disgruntled voice from outside. The only response was a weak-hearted protest from Kisuke, who set his previous load down in the kitchen without waiting for the Shiba's reply and dashed out to assist with the rest of the grunt work.

Kūkaku walked out to the back porch of her rather large house located far away from the harshness of the city. She took in the calm breeze blowing through the surrounding trees and glanced up at her friend and the strangely cute site before her with an amused smile. Yoruichi's parents had kicked her out shortly after the girl had graduated, needless to say they disapproved of her friends and the lifestyle she had "chosen" for herself. Her best friend had shown up on her doorstep, soaked from the pouring-down rain in tears looking for a place to go. The Shiba woman had never once seen Yoruichi cry in all their years of friendship, even when she had fractured her arm when playing club soccer as a kid, the sight had nearly broken her. Without a second thought she took her friend into her home and gave her a place to stay…to belong. After the tall goddess had recovered from the trying ordeal, she had opted to find a place of her own just to get out of the Shiba's way. Of course she was refused that course of action and the two friends nearly got into a brawl over the subject, Kūkaku wanted Yoruichi to stay and wouldn't take no for an answer. Finally the former Shihōin princess relented but she refused to be confined to the Shiba's house and over the last month managed to find a rather interesting way to spend her time, which she was doing now.

When the two of them were little, the Shiba's father had helped them build a tree-house to play in. After the death of her parents and her older brother, Kūkaku refused to even look at the structure, letting it fall into disarray. But, with her permission, Yoruichi had opted to fix up the rundown childhood relic and much to the Shiba's surprise, it looked fantastic. She was really impressed with what her friend was able to do with it in such a short timeframe, grant it Yoruichi spent most of her time outside working on it. Kūkaku guessed it helped to keep her mind off of all the things that were bothering her lately. Looking up in the treetops, she saw just how much Yoruichi had accomplished. Her friend had managed to replace all the rotten wood that had made up their former tree-house and had even gone as far as to stain and waterproof the new one. Every platform was reinforced and could support a few dozen people rampaging about, without even the slightest hint of wearing down. It looked more like a modern patio suspended in the air than a tree-house, but it seemed to add more class to the surrounding nature. The Shiba knew her friend was talented with her hands, but never did she imagine that Yoruichi was capable of creating something this beautiful and serene. Despite its modern looking arrangement, the structure still managed to look like nature had intended it to be this way, her friend had utilized the trunks of the trees and the branches to flow into the piece perfectly, like every ounce of wood used to create it was merely one continuous piece flowing together. Kūkaku knew that this was now Yoruichi's haven and she was proud of the resourceful way her friend had sought to get rid of her stress and depression. At this very moment it would seem that the Shihōin princess had just finished putting the final touches on the structure that was now her own and was leaning up against the rail, looking out at the sunset through the treetops, a whimsical…almost wishful expression on her heavenly face.

"Yoruichi, ya don't plan on spending all night out here, do ya?" Kūkaku asked with a small smile as she finished climbing the ladder onto the platform where her friend stood. A slight huff and a witty smirk were given as a reply from the tall goddess, "Since when does a certain Shiba woman ever show kindness to others, you'd usually be punching some since into me if I was keeping you from your fun." and then her expression softened, "You're still worried about that night I came here, aren't you?"

"That was a rough night for both of us, Yoruichi…I never wanna see my friend like that again, ya know." Neither had chosen to mention that night again but in the calm silences they shared on occasion they both knew and remembered what took place after Yoruichi came to her best friend seeking solace. She lightly punched the shoulder of the other woman and turned away, "Now hurry up and get down to the house, everyone showed up and a few of 'em 've been asking around for ya." Her descent was stopped by a worried hand placed on her shoulder, but when she turned all she saw was her friend's downcast face, her expression lost in the shadow of the fading sun. "She's here too, if that's what you're worried about…It seems she brought herself a date, big robust girl if ya know what I mean," she gave a bark of laughter to lighten the mood, "the least ya can do is talk to her since the girl doesn't even know why ya left and never even said goodbye."

"Yeah…I guess I could do that…Do you think she'll forgive me though…when I-" her sentence was cut off when she received a swift knock to the back of the head from the Shiba standing next to her, "WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT FOR DAMMIT!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"

"WHAT GOOD'LL STANDING OUT HERE AVOIDING EVERYONE DO YA IDIOT?!?! GET YOUR ASS DOWN THERE AND GO TALK TO THE DAMN GIRL IF'N YA MISS HER THAT MUCH!!"

* * *

_~Back inside~_

"What are those two doing out there?"

"I don't know but they sure are loud about it, ya think we should go get 'em?"

"Nah, I'm sure whatever it is they'll be done sooner or later. I'm thinking we should just go on and start the party!!!"

"If ya say so I guess, but if Kūkaku gets pissed at someone I'm blaming you."

"Eh, fair enough, I'm sure I can handle sis if'n it comes to that. Now let's party!!!!"

* * *

Breathless from their wrestling match, both women sat with their backs against the rail facing the final glow the sun cast over the horizon. "Ya don't have to come down if ya don't want to…" after she took a breath she ventured to ask "Do ya at least want me to send her up here to talk, if she's willing?" The Shihōin princess shook her head in response, "No. Thanks Kūkaku, but I think I should probably go down there and quit brooding alone…besides, its suppose to be one hell of a storm tonight and I think I'd much rather face Soi than to be caught in it." with that said she got up to climb down the ladder with the Shiba in tow.

Kūkaku's thoughts drifted to her friend and how different she had become. Since her parents had made her go to a private school two years ago to distance themselves from her, Yoruichi had been acting strangely. She was nothing like the bold and abrasive woman she used to be. This scared the Shiba, what could have possibly happened to the strength and determination of the Yoruichi of old in that damn school that could have changed her like this? All she really knew was that at the start of their last semester, her friend had returned…but something was off about her. She was more nervous about things, much quicker to anger as if she used the rage as a defense instead of opening up to others. Yoruichi had never been like that, she was always so open with her thoughts, she would never snap at someone just for trying to talk to her. Now though, the only person the goddess seemed able to truly talk to was the Shiba woman herself. That thought deeply unsettled her, she hoped that being reunited with Soifon might bring back the old Yoruichi…if the Chinese girl didn't kill her first. Shaking her head as if to clear her mind, Kūkaku followed her friend into the house they now shared and to the awaiting crowd of friends present.

* * *

"OH MY GOD, YORUICHI!!!!!! WE MISSED YOU SO MUCH!!"

"Where the hell have you been, Shihōin? I heard you had come back but I never saw you around campus and I've been stuck with this lot for the past two years." Ichigo smirked at the taller woman.

"I've been around, Kurosaki." She flashed her trademark catty grin, making her best friend smile as signs of the old Yoruichi seemed to drift back into her. The Shihōin had to admit, it did feel good to be back among her friends like this. She had missed them when her parents had sent her away, and even more so when she had managed to get enrolled back into their high school but was never able to find them wandering the halls. Foremost had been her desire to see Soifon, the girl she had never stopped thinking about ever since she had been forced to leave. The Chinese girl probably wouldn't want to so much as speak to her after the way she had left. Soi had always been her weakness and she would never dream of hurting her…she could only imagine what it was like that night, when she promised her that they would always be together…how close she came to confessing her feelings for the girl when Yoruichi's parents had forced her to come home early that night. God, she wished she had ignored them and just told Soi how she felt then and there…then none of this would have happened, she wouldn't have been sent off to that damn school and even if she had at least Soi would have known the truth, that she would never have left on her own free will…

She was snapped out of her thoughts by the very person she had been thinking of these past two years entered the living room, held back possessively by, who she could only imagine to be the one Kūkaku had called "robust." She held off a grimace as she came face to face with a rather big, rather dirty looking butch holding onto "her" Soifon. The girl, if she could even be called that, had a close-crop haircut that was shaved on the sides and styled into a small mohawk. Her attire consisted of a loose t-shirt with the sleeves ripped off, baggy jeans and a pair of outdoor work boots. Her expression was a smugness that resembled that of a constipated pig and to the goddess' disdain, she had the odor to match. In Yoruichi's mind the bitch screamed "horrible stereotype" and for some reason that just set the Shihōin off, suffice it to say she wasn't going to do anything tonight though. Her objective was to convince Soi to talk to her, not to alienate the girl by tearing her…dare she say it…"girlfriend" to shreds.

"It's been a while Shihōin," Soifon deadpanned. The iciness of her tone was enough to make those around her cringe, including the goddess.

"Hey Soi, ummm…it's good to see you again." Yoruichi tried to make polite banter but seemed discouraged by the tightened grip that the large woman behind the Chinese girl seemed to have placed on the smaller woman's shoulder. She flashed a worried glance in Soi's direction, but if her girlfriend's grip bothered her, the smaller woman didn't seem to show it. As a change of tactics, Yoruichi attempted to address the horrible creature in person, at least to convince her that she was not a threat in the hopes that it might allow her to talk to Soi alone tonight. "It's um, nice to meet you…" she reached out to shake hands.

"Bertha" Yoruichi was screaming in her mind, DEAR FUCKING GOD!!!! There is no way this girl can be that much of a stereotype! Instead, she flashed a rather awkward smile and opted to excuse herself to see if the others needed help with anything else before the party truly got underway.

When the goddess was out of sight, Soi felt herself being dragged off around some corner, away from the others. The back of her head hit the wall hard with a resounding crack and as she opened her eyes she saw her "girlfriend" standing over her, hissing into her face, "If at any point tonight I catch you ANYWHERE NEAR that bitch I will make sure you fucking regret it. Do I make myself clear?" Soi nodded her head in response, which proved to be a mistake as her vision swam. Bertha stepped out of the way of her girlfriend as she sank to the floor, not wanting to clean up any messes she might make from her head injury. "I'm glad I made myself clear, now get up before somebody sees you like that. You are so fucking pathetic."

And with that she walked away, most likely to raid the party's alcohol supply and get so smashed that she would be forced to stay the night here, Soi thought to herself. God how she hated that horrible woman, why then did she stay with her? Part of her felt she didn't deserve anyone better after Yoruichi left without even saying goodbye, part of her thought she needed to punish herself for driving the Shihōin away in the first place…part of her wanted Yoruichi to save her from this stupid life she seemed stuck with, while deep down inside of her there was a part that wanted to see Yoruichi to suffer for what she did to her; whether that be from trying to get her back and being hurt by the same _creature_ that abused her every night or simply by seeing Soi with another woman…but still there was one part of her, the biggest part, that just wanted things to go back to the way they were two years ago, before her goddess left her without so much as a word or warning.

* * *

With a few beers in her system, Yoruichi decided that Bertha wasn't as bad as her first impression gave off. She was looser now, less imposing to those around her. The Shihōin princess still didn't like her. but for the sake of seeing Soi again, she was enduring it. The goddess had even managed to succeed in striking up a conversation with the off-putting woman which they had been carrying on for the better part of twenty minutes. As the woman opposite her was downing another bottle of alcohol, Yoruichi let her curiosity get the better of her, "So, how long have you and Soi been dating?" she refused to refer to them as "together," that would mean admitting that she would never be with the girl she loved again.

After a disturbingly loud belch that definitely singed the nose-hairs of those closest to her, she answered "I guess since the start of this last semester, round about half a year. She kept turning me down before then, saying she wasn't over her ex, which I can only assume was you judging by the cold shoulder she gave you earlier," she smirked, gripping her own bottle was all Yoruichi could do not to beat the smug grin off of the bitch's face, which to her shock disappeared on its own. "It's funny though. If you're that same girl that everyone was so shocked to see back on campus, then Soi had to have known you were back. Hell, even I heard the uproar in D-hall and I'm usually asleep in there. It was that day after school that I saw her pissed off, I mean REALLY pissed off. She looked damn-near close to killing someone and when I came up to her all she said was 'ok.' I didn't even know what the hell she was talking about and then it kinda clicked, 'maybe she was finally agreeing to go out with me.' So I ask her and I get the same answer, 'ok,' she said it like she was upset about something but I didn't fucking care. I took her out that night and, I was surprised that she let me go all the way with her." again with the smug grin, Yoruichi noted. "I didn't peg 'little Miss uptight and stingy' to give it up on the first date but I guess I have you to thank for that," the grin changed to a sneer, "You fucked that girl up big time, why else would she come to me the second you get back into her life? I'll tell you why, cause the bitch doesn't want you anymore, so you can stay the fuck away from her or you'll both regret it." The last was said in a whisper that only Yoruichi could hear, the malice evident in the woman's voice across from her.

The goddess was barely able to contain her fury…at Soi for not giving her a chance to explain what really happened, at the bitch in front of her for taking advantage of the girl she was still in love with…Wait a minute, did she just threaten Soi? Sure she would threaten the darker woman, but what the hell would compel her to through Soi's name into the mix, especially when she's her own girlfriend?...unless she's done it before…Yoruichi's mind was working a mile a minute, is Soi, her Soi, involved in an abusive relationship with this bitch? That can't be the case, Soi could very nearly take Yoruichi on, she wouldn't have a problem beating the living shit out of someone like this girl…unless…what if the poster-child for lesbian stereotype's was right? What if Soi was with her, putting up with senseless abuse because the goddess left the way she did? A sinking feeling rose in Yoruichi's stomach, making her too sick to focus. Only one thought rang clear in her mind, 'I have to find Soi, I have to set things right.' And so she excused herself, a hidden determination boiling inside her, and dropped a subtle hint to Kūkaku to keep the other woman busy.

It didn't take the Shihōin long to find the smaller woman, apart from all the others as always. She walked toward the large glass door that led to her best friend's back porch and stared at the same turbulent sky that Soifon saw standing next to her. "I thought you would've ditched talking to her a long time ago…" the sudden start to a conversation caught the goddess off guard, so Soi continued, "She's not much of a talker, especially when she's shitfaced like this, she usually just-"

"Hits you…" the quiet way she said it didn't make the remark a question, Yoruichi knew and that made Soi panic. When the goddess turned to face her she saw a startled girl, her expression quickly changing to that of rage. "Stay out of my life Yoruichi, you've done a damn good job at it so far." The lack of emotion in the response sent a wave of terror down Yoruichi's spine, she couldn't lose Soi, not now, not when she needed her.

"Soi, please don't go, don't pull away like this. Something's wrong, I can feel it. Please Soi, let me help you?"

Just then the object of Yoruichi's disdain walked up behind her. "Soi doesn't need any help bitch, I told you to stay away from her." She then looked to Soi, "Get your shit! We gotta have a little talk outside." Just the way she said that last sentence held a promise of violence that Soifon knew she would have to endure, yet another night of getting the shit beaten out of her…god she wished she didn't have to go through with it. Just as she was expecting to be roughly dragged away once again, the painful grip never came. Instead she saw her goddess move with lightning quickness to intercept the offending hand of her "girlfriend." But Yoruichi thought that Soi was pissed at her and the Chinese girl knew that she wouldn't fight back lest Soi refuse to speak to her again, and so the smaller woman watched as the girl who tried to save her, the same one who left her all alone two years ago, take the beating of her life just to protect her.

Soi couldn't take it, she refused to see the Shihōin princess suffer no matter what she may have done in the past. She cursed herself for still loving Yoruichi but wouldn't let that vile woman hit her again, and so for the first time in two years, the small Chinese girl stood up against the bitch that had the nerve to call herself her girlfriend. "Don't you dare fucking touch her again!!!" she went to land a swift roundhouse kick to Bertha's temple, but panicked as she saw that the taller woman held Yoruichi in a headlock as a shield from any attack Soi might make.

"That's a good girl, now you better come with me and don't try anything funny unless you want me to snap this bitch's neck, understood?" Soi could only nod in defeat. Even after her goddess was nonchalantly tossed into the glass door and slid to the ground, the fight had already been taken out of the Chinese girl, having seen the woman she still loved beaten so badly. And so she was ushered towards the front door roughly, the rest of the people at the party too stunned to react, having just witnessed the whole scene occur like a train wreck. Kūkaku was the first to react, shouting after the two retreating to the front door, trying to stir Soi from her paralyzing stupor. This only seemed to piss the brutish woman yanking her away, causing her to stop and roughly slap the smaller woman into the wall shouting, "YOU DO AS I FUCKING SAY SOIFON, WE ARE LEAVING NOW AND YOU'RE NEVER SEEING THESE FUCKERS AGAIN, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"

Kūkaku, with a shaken Yoruichi following close behind, managed to push the bigger woman away from the startled smaller girl. Snapped out of her daze, Soi immediately dashed for the already open door while the other two women restrained her manic ex-girlfriend, she refused to go back to that woman. A crash from the house startled her and caused her to trip in the soaked road, as she turned to see what happened, the sight before her froze her very blood. Bertha had managed to shove two of the strongest women she knew from her almost effortlessly and was pursuing the small Chinese girl in the chilling rain, a deadly look on her face.

The events that happened next surprised everyone, Soi managed to get to her feet in time to dodge the fist aimed at her and rushed to the backyard, hoping to lose her assailant. As the large woman rounded the corner of the house she saw Soi climb up into the tree-house with no means of escape, and so she slowed her pace and flashed an evil grin as she walked towards the ladder. And then time seemed to slow as Yoruichi burst through the now-opened glass back door, leapt over the porch rail and collided heavily with Bertha, knocking her into a nearby tree and winding herself from the impact. As both women rolled over in the drenching rain, the Shihōin princess was up in an instant, swiftly putting the woman in front of her unconscious with a jab to the solar plexus. As Kūkaku came rushing forward, she issued orders to the others in the house to help her restrain the limp woman. "Go make sure she's okay, Yoruichi. I'm thinkin' she needs ya more than anyone else right now." With a nod, the Shiba woman went off to help the others.

* * *

Fear gripped her as Soi listened to the creaks of someone ascending the ladder, barely even audible over the crashing of the raindrops on the unsheltered platforms between herself and the only means of escape. She would not go back to that abusive bitch, even if it killed her, and so she steeled herself for the moment when the figure stepped onto the platform. As she saw the upper body rise into sight she stood up and charged toward the shadow in front of her, aware that her body's momentum would carry them both over the edge and to the forest floor below.

* * *

As Yoruichi gripped the rails to hoist herself up into the tree-house she had built, she heard the guttural cry of the fear-stricken girl rushing towards her, then panic set into the goddess. Soi thought she was that bitch, and she was prepared to kill them both. _'SHIT' _she screamed in her mind as she let reflexes long honed for combat set in. Yoruichi gained the platform in lightning speed and then charged at the onrushing girl, shocking her in the fraction of a second it took for her to tackle Soifon to the floor of the structure. She took the brunt of the force with her arms and managed to cradle Soi's head against her body so as not to injure her. "Fucking Christ Soi, don't ever do that again. We could've been killed had we fallen off of this thing?!" as she pulled back to look at the smaller woman, her breath hitched in her throat. Soi was looking at her, not with hatred or fear in her eyes, but with a look of relieved joy to see the goddess…a look she never expected to see again. Yoruichi was at a loss for words, but still she fumble for the right ones to say, "Soi, I'm so sorry but leaving you back then…"she tried to keep her oncoming sobs at bay as she spoke, "I know you can never forgive me for the pain I've caused you but all I'm asking is for a chance to explain…maybe then you could at least understand the truth of what happened…how I never wanted to leave you that night, how I wanted so badly to tell you how I truly feel…Soifon I-"

"Yoruichi?" it was barely a whisper but the goddess heard it none the less.

"Yeah Soi, what is it?" she tilted the smaller woman's face up to look at her own. The force of her tackle had carried them both back under the awning that she had made to shelter her tree-house against the rain in the areas she would frequent most up here. The shelter from the unrelenting rain gave her the chance to see her love's expression, the tightness around her eyes from her earlier tears, the strain of tonight's ordeal melting away as she stared into the golden eyes of her goddess. Soi's normally stormy-hued gaze held a brightness Yoruichi had not seen in such a long time, she couldn't help the slight smile that graced her lips when looking at the woman before her.

"Can you do me a favor?…" there was a nervousness in her tone that worried the Shihōin princess, "Anything for you, Soi. Just ask and I'll do it…" she only prayed that it didn't involve her saying goodbye to the girl forever.

"Make me forget," it was a whisper so low that Yoruichi almost didn't hear it at all.

"What?-" but she didn't have to ask her to repeat it for it became a mantra for the tortured girl in front of her, the chorus of words repeated over and over, getting steadily louder until the goddess could discern exactly what was said.

"I understand you don't want to remember tonight, Soi, but I don't want you to regret this later and never speak to me again. I'm sorry…but I can't." Yoruichi shifted to turn and leave the smaller woman, not wanting to be a fling for the girl she loved so much, but a feeble hand reached out to stop her, "No, please don't go. Not tonight, Yoruichi, please? Make me forget that I hated you for so long, make me forget that I was never able to forgive you. Make me forget how scared I was the first time she hit me, make me forget everything she's done to me! Make me forget you left Yoruichi, please just make me forget the past two years?!" it was a desperate plea by the time she finished, her body shaking from unshed tears as she held onto the goddess as if she were her only reason for living, now that Soi had her back it felt like she was her only reason. The girl didn't want to go back to a life without the woman before her, it had felt so cold and empty. The silence between them seemed to stretch on forever after she uttered her last request and Soi was about to release the goddess, assuming the answer would still be no, that she had been mistaken in thinking that Yoruichi had truly loved her. Then she felt a gentle hand cup her cheek and tilt her face upward to stare straight into the eyes of the woman she had always loved. She watched as the sad smile she had worn when she first replied changed to her trademark catty grin, although this time it held more warmth to it…more joy then the ones the goddess usually flashed.

"As you wish, my little bee." The kiss that followed was the gentlest caress of lips that Soi had ever experienced, she had forgotten how soft her lover's lips were, she wanted to remember everything about the times she spent with the goddess, what it was like to have her body pressed against this woman. She wanted those thoughts to replace the hurtful memories she accumulated over the past two years they had spent apart, "Please Yoruichi, make me forget."

* * *

To be continued....

AN: Let me know what you think of the Action/Information packed first installment of "Make Me Forget"

Please R&R and hit me up with any ideas or criticism that you might have


	2. Chapter 2

Make Me Forget

* * *

disclaimer: i do not own any bleach or any of its characters, all non bleach characters and themes are my original contribution

A Soifon x Yoruichi Shihōin AU fanfic

**

* * *

**

Chapter 2

_**~Flashback~**_

……_**two years ago……**_

"_God Yoruichi, it's so beautiful!" Soi gasped, "How did you find this place?" She gazed in wonder at the scene before her, how the fading glow of the setting sun glistened on the frostbitten lake. She didn't notice her own body's shivering from the cold until she felt a comforting warmth embrace her from behind. She looked back and smiled at her girlfriend, completely at peace in the seemingly perfect moment._

_They had known each other for years now, Soi's parents having worked for the Shihōin family. Since they started high school, Yoruichi had ended up spending more and more time at the Chinese girl's house, often times sneaking out in the middle of the night to see her friend. They had been having their midnight rendezvous for months before the young goddess divulged the real reason to the girl she sought comfort in. Soi had found out that Yoruichi's parents had been subjecting her to harsh punishments ever since they found out their daughter was a lesbian, a fact that was just then shared with the smaller girl. Soi's initial reaction was shock coupled with a feeling that she could not identify, not back then at least. Thinking back on it now the smaller girl realized that that instant had been the first moment she had ever thought of Yoruichi as more than a friend. She had shrugged it off then doubting that their union, in the romantic since, would ever be possible. It was only a few months after, on a night similar to this, that she realized just how much she cared about her close friend. It had been at one of the parties held during the winter break, Yoruichi had invited the Chinese girl to accompany her. Initially she had refused, however, the moment the goddess flashed her trademark grin, the one that secretly made the smaller girl melt, she quickly relented and followed her beautiful friend with a rather large and rather cute blush spreading across her face. The party had been as distasteful as Soi had imagined and she was more than willing to leave before even an hour had passed though. As she sought out her goddess to ask for them to leave, the sight that greeted her had driven her to hurt, confused tears. One of the upperclassmen at their school seemed to be all over her friend, her hand slowly roaming over the body the smaller girl so deeply desired to claim as her own. With the tears blinding her eyes and the loud thumping of the music in the background, Soi didn't notice how Yoruichi tried to pry the other girl off of her, how she tried to reject the girl too drunk to listen to her pleas. Soi didn't hear her name being called as she turned to run, nor did she see the confused look on her friend's face as she chased after her. Soi remembered when she ran off into the park nearby, how she headed blindly through the trees straight toward the frozen pond, only aware of the danger when she felt the ice giving way under her feet. That's when all her senses came back to her in a rush, suddenly she could see the panic in her friend's beautiful golden eyes as she watched the cracks spreading from where Soi stood on the precarious ice. She heard the sickening creak as the ice below her began to give way and everything after that was a blur. One moment she felt herself sinking as her bodyweight began to push the ice into the frozen depths of the pond, and the next she felt the hard, cold ground beneath her and the warm body of her shaking best friend above her still form. She wondered what had happened and then the ragged breaths of her goddess caught her attention. Yoruichi was muttering something as if her very life depended on it, the words slowly drifted into the still shocked girl's ears. 'Dear god Soi, please don't leave me like that. I was so scared I had lost you, please don't do that ever again…you could have died Soi, I wouldn't have survived if that happened, I need you with me, my little bee…' Soi looked at her friend, surprise evident on her face. And then the one thing she had been wishing for ever since that night Yoruichi had confided in her happened. She felt the soft, gentle lips of the goddess press against her own cold ones. At first she was too stunned to move, but as she felt Yoruichi pull away, most likely to apologize for what she would probably assume to be her friend's disgust, she quickly held her in place, her searching lips committing to memory every aspect of their first kiss. She didn't notice the chill whipping at her body but she was very much aware of the warmth that filled her as the goddess lifted the smaller girl into her embrace, to shield her from the cold while never breaking the kiss…_

_Soi was snapped from her thoughts as she felt the warm breath of the goddess on her neck as she nuzzled closer to the Chinese girl. "You're thinking about that night again, aren't you, my little bee?" Yoruichi breathed in deeply her lover's scent, loving how the smell seemed to linger impossibly in the cold night air. "Pray tell, which part were you at this time, love?"_

"_I believe I was at the part with that amazing kiss," she smiled softly as she felt her girlfriend turn her in her arms so that they now faced each other. "Were you now? Did it feel something like this…" Soi's smile grew as her goddess once again leaned in to kiss her cold lips, instantly bringing warmth to them as she lifted her arms to wrap them around the taller girl's neck and bring her in closer as the gentle kiss took a more heated turn. "Yeah…something like that," was her whispered reply. She smiled into the kiss as it resumed, accompanied by their hands exploring one another beneath the winter coats they now wore. Yoruichi gasped as she felt the cold air strike the heated flesh of her stomach as she noticed Soi trying to expose the dark skin to her hungry hands'. "Anxious, now aren't we, little bee?" the goddess chuckled. The only response was the low moan she received from her girlfriend, pleading for permission to take things further. "Would you rather we take this somewhere warmer and more private?" the goddess flashed a more devious version of her already mischievous grin, nipping at her lover's exposed neck to further tease her._

"_No…Now…Please?" was her ragged reply, voice hoarse with desire. Yoruichi quirked her eyebrow in amusement at the effect she had on the other girl, clearly enjoying her current state and needs."As you wish, my little bee-"_

_She was cut off by the senselessly happy jiggle played by two cell phones going off simultaneously. The two girls reluctantly pried themselves away from each other to answer their respective phones._

_Soi listened to what her parents told her on the phone, their words were calm but there was an edge of panic and sadness in their voices as they asked when their daughter would be home from spending time with her friend. The girl reassured them that she would not be home late and that she would stay safe, asking them not to worry for they knew that she could easily take care of herself if the need arose. As she said her goodbyes, she turned her attention to the conversation her girlfriend was having with, she could only assume to be, the goddess's own parents. The heated argument ensuing was her main justification for that opinion. While she could not tell what they were discussing, she knew all too well that whatever it was, Yoruichi was far from pleased. So as a means for comfort, the smaller girl wrapped her arms around her lover from behind, resting her face on the warmth the taller girl's back, seeking only to sooth the other girl's anger. Yoruichi immediately quieted her earlier screams of frustration, impulsively reaching to stroke Soi's hand gently caressing her stomach through her clothes. After moments more of the broken conversation, the goddess muttered her goodbyes with a weariness that had not been there seconds before the phone call. She turned to face the smaller girl, sadness evident on her face._

"_Soi…I'm sorry but my parents want…they want me to come home now, they say it's important and that I have to be there. There was no room for argument." She signed heavily as the smaller girl pulled her into a tight embrace. She breathed against her girlfriend's chest, "Your parents are such a cock-block, Yoruichi. But it's ok if you have to go, I understand," she pulled back enough to smile up at the girl in her arms, "Just call me when you are done dealing with them. I'll be waiting to hear from you." They separated and shuddered at the loss of contact and warmth._

"_Are you sure you don't want to finish what we started before I leave?" she flashed her trademark, mischievous grin and received a lighthearted, playful slap in response. "Very well then, my little bee. If I can't call you later then I will definitely stop by to see you tomorrow, baby."_

"_You promise?"_

"_I promise, Soi."_

"_I just wished we could have spent more time together tonight, I don't want you to go, Yoruichi." Just the way she said those words made it seem like they held some far deeper meaning to the smaller girl, as if she said them as a substitute for words that meant much more than what she was willing to say just yet. The taller girl gently touched her girlfriend's face, bringing her attention back to the girl before her, "Hey, I don't want you leaving here sad, my little bee. I don't want to go either but I have to see what my parents want first. Then I will come back to you…I'll always come back to you Soifon, I promise." The Chinese girl nodded and kissed her girlfriend gently before turning away. She couldn't fight the tears rising up inside her, she didn't even know where they were coming from. The only thing she truly knew was that she had a very bad feeling about the events that would happen after tonight._

_**~End Flashback~**_

* * *

"You're thinking about that night again, aren't you, Soi?" referencing instead the last night she had seen Soi, the last night they had spent together before the stunt pulled by her parents.

"You haven't even been here all the times I've thought about that night, Yoruichi. You had no idea how I felt after you just left me…" the response sounded bitter, even to her. She hadn't meant to dredge up old memories, especially not while laying in the warm, protective arms of the woman she had asked only hours ago to make her forget it even happened. "I'm sorry, it's just…I don't know what came over me just then." She looked away, not wanting her goddess to see the conflict in her eyes.

"Somehow I not so sure you really wanted me to make you forget all of what happened between us. I think you were only using me as a small comfort about all that happened tonight," Yoruichi made a move to disentangle her body from the smaller girl resting against her when a pleading look stopped her in her tracks. That look said it all, Soi wouldn't let the taller woman get away, not this time, not again. She may have been conflicted now, but she genuinely wanted Yoruichi to stay with her for more than just simple physical comfort. "You realize you are gonna have to forgive me before you can truly forget about what happened two years ago, to forgive me you would have to let me explain…I don't think you want to or are even willing to let me explain myself though, Soi. I'm afraid you are just going to hold onto your anger until it finally drives us apart for good, it really feels like you want to stay mad at me, I'm not ready to let that happen. Hell, I'd do anything to keep it from happening." the distress in her voice finally reaching the smaller woman.

"I won't let it happen, Yoruichi. I don't know how to handle all of this now, but I refuse to lose you again…not after all I've been through. I want us to work this time."

"You say that like we didn't work the first time…"

"You say that like you didn't leave me for two years without so much as an explanation," she tried to make light of it, she even succeeded in keeping any malignant tone from appearing in her voice, however she could not hide the pained and haunted look that found its way into her eyes.

"I'm here to explain now, Soi. I meant what I said that night, I will always come back to you, nothing could keep me away from the woman I lo—" she had dreamt of telling the woman in front of her how she truly felt ever since that night, she was mentally cursing herself for choking on the word but was more than willing to work up the nerve to try again and finally get it out. Soi was shocked to say the least, she loved Yoruichi and always had but she was not yet ready to forgive her for what happened. Her goddess was right, she could not forget until she forgave her, but for that she did indeed need an explanation. Until she got it she did not want to hear the words she so desperately longed for during those years apart, and so she silenced her love with a kiss. "Please not yet…not until I know the truth of what happened, Yoruichi…not until I'm sure that you truly mean it." She lifted her gaze to the goddess before her, a gentle smile gracing her lips for the first time that night. "I don't want to hear it now though, right now I feel more like going home and sleeping if that's ok with you?"

"Yeah, sure, that's fine with me, Soi." She paused a moment to work up the courage she seemed to be lacking lately to ask the one question that had been plaguing her since she saw the smaller woman hours ago for the first time in years, "Does this mean that you are willing to let me…that you're willing to let us…can we please try again? I know it would be too painful for either of us to pick up where we left off after all this time, but can we have another chance, Soifon…please?"

She didn't know if it was the please that did it or the fact that Yoruichi had used her complete name, but the twilight sky was filled with a lighthearted, cheery laughter that completely threw the goddess off. Once the sound faded and the smiling, Chinese woman in her arms finally turned to face her again, Yoruichi couldn't help but smile in return, "I take that as a yes, or at least a definite maybe."

"It's a yes for now, so let's try and keep it that way." She relaxed into the embrace of the woman behind her once more and they both contented themselves to the natural sounds surrounding them and the gentle drips of the slowing rain.

It was another hour or so before the rain finally ceased, by that time dawn had already risen, and with it the spirits of the two woman sprawled on the deck of the tree-house. They had remained there all night, simply holding each other after the startling events that had manage to reunite them once again.

"I should probably be heading home now, there are some things I need to take care of before tonight."

"Yeah, sure thing, my little bee… Ummm, Soi, I was wondering if I could take you home? Just to make sure you get there safely and that everything is ok. I promise I'll leave as soon as you're inside." The last was said in one breathe, rushed so as to get it out before the smaller girl could answer.

"Thank you, Yoruichi. I'd like that very much. Technically I don't have a ride back anyway since the one who drove me here kind of had the crap kicked out of her last night," the last was said with a smile, free of pain or sadness. It was just a simple smile, one of the happiest Soi had given in two years.

"I guess we should go get your stuff from inside before we go, huh." The goddess flashed her trademark grin, which still managed to have the same effect on Soi as it had those years ago, and held the smaller girl close as they rose from the deck, "Thank you for giving me another chance."

The Chinese girl gently pulled her down for a innocent kiss, "Thank you for coming back," she breathed.

"Nothing could have kept me away, Soi."

* * *

AN: another chapter down. it's shorter than the first but that's because it's mainly backstory. the next chapter has a few surprises in store so R&R and give input if you want. a big thanks to those who reviewed so far


	3. Chapter 3

**Make Me Forget**

A Soifon x Yoruichi Shihōin AU fanfic

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the bleach characters, only the original characters and the plot are my original contribution

**Chapter 3**

It was a fairly quiet drive home, both women kept their eyes on the passing scenery, thinking heavily upon the events of the last few hours. Yoruichi snuck several glances at the Chinese girl beside her whenever she felt she could get away with it. Soi was deeply immersed in her thoughts, however, she was very much aware of the golden eyes that looked her way numerous times throughout their drive to her apartment. She refused to look at the tall goddess beside her lest her resolve crumble. She wanted so desperately to go back to the way things were before Yoruichi left. She had spent the better half of the last two years worried and depressed, constantly thinking about the girl she had lost. It wasn't until the very day that Yoruichi returned to school that her angst and anxiety had turned to rage at the goddess. She would not let the girl see her as beaten as she was and so she had finally given into her ex's advances and had lost sight of who she truly was. Soi had let Yoruichi see her weak last night, she did not want the woman to think she could have her again so easily, she did not want her to think that she could do whatever she wanted because she thought that she wasn't strong enough to say no. Soi had never felt more pathetic than she did at that moment. She used to be such a powerful fighter, back before they had started a relationship she had trained with Yoruichi and they had honed their skills together. She still trained after her goddess had left, she grew even stronger and a part of her believed she could defeat the darker girl if she could only see her again. She continued her training even now, yet she could not protect herself from falling prey to an abusive relationship. Her back was still littered with bruises from being slammed against the wall the night before, she felt them as she shifted uncomfortably in the passenger seat of the car Yoruichi had borrowed from Kūkaku. As she was about to return to her musing, she felt rather than heard the girl beside her turn off the car. She gazed at her surroundings and noted that they were in fact at her apartment. As she unbuckled her seatbelt and readied herself to get out of the car she saw the uneasy shuffling of the goddess. She raised her eyes to look at her and almost smiled at the shy fidgeting the unusually unconfident woman was occupying herself doing.

"Go ahead and say what's on your mind, Yoruichi." Her smile softened what might have come out as harsh words, the taller woman smiled sheepishly and took a deep breath as her stunning eyes came around to meet Soi's.

"Tomorrow…I was wondering if you weren't busy or anything…" she heard the stifled chuckle from the usually scowling woman beside her and decided to simply ask the question as best she could, "would you like to go have coffee with me or something, just to spend the day together and talk…so I can try to explain myself to you?" She looked up at Soi, who had lost her peaceful expression.

"Tomorrow? Yoruichi, I said I needed time, I'm not so sure that would be a good idea to try to do something so suddenly…" she trailed off, not really knowing how to explain herself. Luckily, she was saved any further explanation as the goddess sighed and settled back into her seat, arms raised to bend behind her head in a more relaxed manner.

"It was worth a shot asking anyway." her trademark grin gave another appearance as she tried to lighten the mood, "How about you pick the date then? I'll be waiting around at Kūkaku's and I'm pretty sure you know the number if ever you wanted to call me, whether just to talk or hang out or even to push us further along." She glanced over at the Chinese girl beside her and saw the confused expression on her face, "What? Did I say something wrong?"

"You really have changed, Yoruichi…You're not the bold and beautiful girl I used to know and love," at the other woman's sudden drop in mood she quickly added, "You're still beautiful, I didn't mean it that way, I just meant that you're different somehow. You seem less sure of yourself. You're not as willing to push matters anymore…Kūkaku said something happened to you when you went away, I didn't wanna believe her until now. It really does seem like something's missing when it comes to you, like something that used to be there got stripped away? What happened to you?"

"You said it yourself, you're not ready to hear about why I left, Soi." The last came out sounding bitter, it was a tone she couldn't keep out of her voice as of late. She had thought the chance to get back with the woman she loved might have changed that. Somehow, she was beginning to see that it wouldn't be that easy after all.

"Please don't pull away like that, Yoruichi. I didn't mean to upset you…I really do want to know what happened, why we ended up this way…I just, I just need more time. I want us to work out this time, I just want to make sure I truly am ready to give you a second chance. I don't want to end up hurt again…"

"No one wants to end up hurt again, Soi. You said that boldness that I used to have was missing, let's just say I know I'm on thin ice with you and I don't wanna test its limits just yet…I know you need time which is why I'm not trying to push you into taking me back. I want us to be the way that we were, I want you to trust me again but I know that's not gonna happen if I don't make any changes to be what you need right now. I'll wait as long as it takes for you to forgive me, and if you don't then I guess I'll keep waiting just in case you change your mind later," she smiled as she said the last, her hand gently resting on Soi's cheek. As she pulled it back into her lap she saw the smaller girl trace the outline of the touch, lingering where the other girl's fingers had just finished caressing.

Soi was going through complete turmoil. Every fiber of her being was screaming at her to do one of two things, either kiss the goddess beside her and forgive her of her past transgressions or leave the car and never speak to her again, feeling that what she said was too good to be true. After replaying everything that had happened within the last twelve hours, she opted for a compromise. She leaned forward and gently kissed Yoruichi's cheek, "I have to go now, I need to think about everything that's happened and then I will call you, I promise…And Yoruichi, thanks again, for last night. I'll talk to you later." With that she got out the car and went inside her apartment.

The darker woman just sat and watched her leave the car, a good five minutes had passed before she made even the slightest move to start the ignition. As she turned the key she felt a horrible wave of dread come over her. She wasn't exactly sure what it was or where it came from but she had the sudden urge to make sure Soi was safe. She quickly shoved the car keys into her pocket after locking and slamming the car door shut as she ran to the Chinese girl's front door. To her shock it was unlocked and not even closed completely. Whatever doubt she had held about her unease swiftly dissipated as she realized something must have happened to her love. She swung open the door and nearly exploded with rage at what she saw in the living room of her Soi's apartment.

To be continued…

* * *

AN: sorry it's been a while since the last update. I also apologize for the shortness of the chapter, I decided to break it up into 2 parts so I can have a breather from all the action coming up. The next installment should be back to the story's longer length and for those of you who really liked the 1st chapter, a certain someone from it makes a return in the next one (o.o i wonder who that could be). I should have the next chapter up by tomorrow or at the very latest the following morning. R&R about what you thought about this one even though its just an "up-to-speed" update. hopefully you'll like what I put out tomorrow


	4. Chapter 4

**Make Me Forget**

WARNING: I did not have the time to proofread all of this chapter but I wanted to get it up for those who have been waiting over a month for it. Please forgive the errors I have missed and I will fix them later on. Gomen!!!!

Disclaimer: I do not own bleach, all non bleach characters and the story line are my only original contributions

**Chapter 4**

~Soi's apartment~

_How the hell could I forget I gave her a spare key to my fucking apartment?!?!?!_ she screamed in her head as she dodged yet another volley of punches thrown by the infuriated woman before her. Now she really wished she had invited Yoruichi in, at least then one of them might have been able to get help. But who was she kidding, months had gone by with her neighbors able to hear the yelling and beating that she suffered from the large woman before her and no one had offered her more than a sympathetic glance as they turned away from her battered body.

For the second time in less than twelve hours she had to fight Bertha. She hadn't seen the woman since she climbed into Yoruichi's tree-house to escape her the night before and didn't even know what happened after she made it to her temporary shelter. She could tell that she was angry, furious to say the least. Her ex was nearly nonsensical in her rage, the things she was shouting almost unintelligible to the smaller Chinese girl before her.

"You fucking BITCH!!!!!!!! I'll teach you to disrespect me like that!" she finally managed to land a punch to the smaller girl's left shoulder, sending her spinning into the wall opposite her. Soi took a few seconds to recover from the blow, gauging the damage done and finding it to be minimal, yet still she rested against the wall as if she intended to goad the larger woman into attack.

This was the sight that greeted Yoruichi. The woman she loved, slamming into the wall and leaning on it for support. She stood in the entryway of the apartment where only Soi could see her, and knew from the screaming just who exactly it was that was attacking her beloved. From her position she knew the other woman was not yet aware of her presence and made to use that to her advantage when Soi flashed her a look that held her off. The smaller woman had something planned and she wanted her to stay out of it just in case the shit hit the fan, so Yoruichi took up a new position close to the edge of the wall, where she would still be hidden from the large woman even after she rounded the corner.

Seeing Soi in a weakened state only seemed to please Bertha all the more. For months she delighted in finding weakness in the once strong girl. After her girlfriend left her, she was a wreck, the larger woman wanted nothing more than to break the Chinese girl even more, just for the sheer joy it would bring her. Those who knew Bertha classified her as a sadist to say the least. The woman was sick, she abused all those unfortunate enough to get close to her and it didn't stop until they were broken beyond repair. The large woman enjoyed this fact and reveled in the thought of causing irreparable damage to those who once considered themselves strong. For months Soi took the abuse, she wasn't about to let the girl get away when there was still so much hope left in her. She wanted to inflict as much misery as possible and she wouldn't stop until all of Soi's sensibilities shattered. That was her goal, and she intended to reach it today. The events that happened last night did nothing more but set the woman off. She despised being made to look weak in front of anyone, and the scene that played out last night served no further purpose than to show her as nothing but weak. She was knocked unconscious by her girlfriend's ex and sent home in a taxi while still out of it. The worst part of it all was that she knew those idiots at the party were gonna do all they could to keep her girl away from her. _Soi is my property, no flaky bitch and her friends are gonna take what's mine! _Seeing the smaller woman so helpless in front of her was all that it took to build up a hatred inside of her so profound that she was more than willing to take out on the Chinese girl. "You are so gonna get what's coming to you Soi…" she said menacingly as she closed in on her target.

Dark hands gripped the edge of the wall tighter, it was all Yoruichi could do to control herself and not charge the large woman preparing to strike her little bee. She braced herself to attack in case Soi needed backup as Bertha stood only a foot and a half away from the girl still leaning heavily against the wall. She watched as the large woman reached out to grab Soi by the neck and saw the movement that was too fast for Bertha to catch as the smaller woman kicked out at lightning speed and landed a blow just below her assailant's knee cap, immediately dislodging it from the socket. Bertha screamed out in pain as her body crumbled over the now-useless appendage. Before she could even fully hit the ground however, Soi was above her and using the larger woman's own momentum to slam her face into the wall. Yoruichi watched in silent shock as her love proceeded to land blow after blow to the huddled form of her ex now on the floor. Amidst the raging fury of her attacks, the darker woman caught a glimpse of her face. Whatever Bertha had done to Soi, the smaller girl was now throwing back at her tenfold. What was left of her Soi was now lost in an all-consuming rage as she repaid the larger woman for all the pain and hurt she had caused her. She saw the anger and despair in the grey-eyed girl, she wouldn't stop until her ex was dead, sensing this, Yoruichi rushed to stop the smaller girl, regardless of the fact that she believed Bertha deserved everything she was being dealt.

Feeling long arms encircle her, Soi turned to lash out at what she thought might be another threat until the pleading look in those golden eyes brought her back to her senses. She felt a sharp pain in her hands as she tried to reach up to touch the woman holding her and noticed the bruises and blood coloring her battered knuckles. Both women winced as they saw the damage she had inadvertently inflicted on herself. Yoruichi's concerned voice was what broke the silence surrounding them, "I…I think we should get these cleaned up and looked at…" she gently held the smaller girl's hands in her own.

"They'll be fine, I think. I'll just clean them up and wrap them. I don't think there's any reason to go to the hospital or anything…" For some reason it was hard to look the taller girl in the face. She felt dirty…She spent the last few months trying her hardest to hate the woman in front of her, doing any and everything she could to drive her from her mind. Part of the reason why she was afraid to forgive Yoruichi was the fact that that would include forgiving herself for being so weak and for turning away from the girl she once was. A shuffling noise in the background caused both women to turn around to see a very bloody and very pissed Bertha stand up and glare at them. All the hatred she had pushed back for the woman who had abused her now came back in a flood. If Yoruichi had not been holding her at that moment she might have rushed the woman again just to finish the beating she had started moments before. Instead, she shook her head as if to clear it and returned the glare, "You are no longer welcome here. If you don't leave, I will call the cops on you. I am getting a restraining order and if you violate it, then I'll make sure you get sent to jail. Never set foot in my home again, stay away from me and we won't have any more problems. Do I make myself clear?"

A searing hatred flashed across her face as she made a move to hit the smaller woman again when Yoruichi stepped in front of her with a face devoid of any emotion. The only thought that came to her mind was that this woman in front of her had no problem making sure Soi's words came true, she would kill her if she had to. She swallowed once and averted her eyes as she began heading toward the door. This would not be the last time they met, she would make sure of that. And with that thought as the only comfort she had she slammed the door behind her and picked up a small rock situated in the small garden in front of her ex's apartment complex. Taking one last glance at the closed door, she hurled the rock at the car the two had pulled up in. There was a resounding crack as the rock embedded itself partially in the side window, with her last bit of frustration satiated for the moment, Bertha walked down the road and out of sight.

* * *

Looking out the window, the two women saw the damage Bertha left in her wake and Yoruichi just shook her head, "Kūkaku is gonna kill me for what happened to her car…" She sighed and turned back to Soi, "Are you ok? Let me fix up your hands for you…"

"That's alright, I can take care of it…" she looked down, unable to maintain eye contact with her goddess. She walked into the small kitchen located just past the living room. She reached to grip the faucet handle but as she bent her knuckles she was momentarily paralyzed by the pain that seared through her arms. She hissed loudly as she relaxed her hands and simply stood there in the silence by the sink. As she stood there, she once again felt the warm arms of her former lover wrap around her tense body. Yoruichi brought them closer to the sink as she turned on the faucet and tested the temperature to make sure it would not agitate the smaller girl's wounds. She gently took one of Soi's hands into her own as she took a small rag and began cleaning the abused flesh. She paused after hearing the small intake of breath from the other girl and commenced once again only when she felt her relax into the embrace and simply lean against her for support. She marveled at how strong the Chinese girl was for being able to handle her own against someone nearly three times her size and still come out on top. Yet at the back of her mind she wondered why if she could beat her all along, did she stay and take the abuse? She decided to ask her about it later, she knew Soi was strong, she just didn't understand why she would subject herself to something she didn't deserve. She could only hope that she was not the cause. That thought brought an involuntary shudder that caught the attention of the smaller girl, "Is it that bad? Usually I don't see you cringe at injuries." She glanced back at the goddess taking care of her and tried to look into her eyes. All she found was a tired expression that did nothing to comfort her, "Do you think I should see a doctor for it?" she asked, misinterpreting the cause of such a defeated look.

It was the smaller woman shifting in her embrace that brought her out of her stupor. "Huh? Oh no, it's not that serious, I was just zoned out for a minute. Do you have a first aid kit here?" When she received a nod and its location she silently ventured to find it, not wanting the smaller girl to worsen her injuries. She returned to find Soi sitting at her small breakfast table, staring at her hands angrily. The expression was too cute for Yoruichi to suppress a small chuckle and the sound of it only seemed to deeper the scowl that was now directed at her.

"Only you can make a scowl look so cute, my little bee." She smiled lightly and sat down beside her to continue her treatment. As she began to tenderly administer a salve to her hands, Soi couldn't help but smile with her at the gentleness of it all. For over half a year she had known no semblance of the word gentle and hand relinquished herself to the self-inflicted fate she had discovered. All the reasons why she loved the woman before her seemed to flood back into her consciousness at that moment, the gentleness she always showed her, her coy attitude that she found so attractive, her protective nature that was never smothering. All of it flowed in a rush, drowning her with the memories they shared together and the memories she had without her comforting presence. This time she was not angry with the woman, she felt more or less resigned to the fact that it had happened and knew that it was only a matter of time before she understood the motive behind it. "Ummm… I was wondering if you wanted to call in for that restraining order today or not?" The question startled her, she had managed to forget about the events that had just happened and wasn't even thinking about Bertha. A frown marred her face once more, "No. I'll leave it until tomorrow. I think I should just rest for now. All that I had planned today won't be happening since I can't really use my hands at the moment."

"Do you want me to work on them for you?" There was a pleading in her voice that did not go unnoticed by the smaller girl. She arched an eyebrow in question before answering, "No, it's fine. I'll call my parents and let them know what happened later on so they don't worry…" she paused as she saw the taller woman bite her lip silently. "What is it, Yoruichi?"

"I…I was wondering, maybe it would be better if…Soi, I-think-it-would-be-safer-if-you-stayed-with-a-friend-until-the-restraining-order-is-in-place-and-the-cops-make-sure-she-doesn't-come-back-and-can't-hurt-you-anymore!" It was all stammered in one breath and it took the Chinese girl a while to decipher just what exactly was said. After much internal debate, she decided to voice the solution that had been mulling around in her head for the better part of five minutes. "If you're worried about her coming back, I suppose it would be alright for you to stay over until tomorrow…just in case I needed an extra hand…" The shock on the other woman's face was beyond evident and she could not help the amused smile that graced her face after seeing it, "I suppose if it's such a hassle for you that I can find someone else," she mused lightheartedly.

"NO!" came the all to sudden reply, "I mean, it's no hassle. I have nothing else to do and I'm pretty sure you and I are the only ones who can take Big Bertha on if she were to come back today…" she hesitated for only a second before continuing, "Are you sure it'll be okay though? I'll crash out in the living room, I already know that much. But are you okay with me staying here with you?"

She was given a reassuring look, "Relax Yoruichi, it's alright if you stay. I was thinking it over and I don't have a problem if you're here. I think it's more comforting than anything else right now." She slowly stood up and gazed at her battered hands once more, "I think I'm gonna go to my room and rest for a while, the past twelve hours have been pretty hectic. I guess we could go out to lunch or something after I get up."

"Yeah, sure. That'd be great…I guess I'll just wait for you out here or something, maybe I'll crash for a few hours to after I give Kūkaku a call and let her know about her car…I am so not looking forward to that." She sighed as she dropped her head on the table and groaned afterwards. Laughing silently, Soi made her way out of the kitchen and shut her bedroom door. She sat on her bed and just stared at the wall opposite her. Her mind was in turmoil and she was too exhausted to think clearly. The only thought that flittered coherently throughout the chaos was 'What if something happens between us while she's here? God, why did I ask her to stay?'

Sitting on the coach in the living room, the same thought crossed the mind of the dark woman. 'Has something changed between us in the last few hours?' Shaking her head as if to dispel the thought, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. _I have to get this call out of the way, maybe then I can worry about Soi and I._

**AN:** I AM TRULY SORRY TO ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS CHAPTER!!!!!!!!!!!! my sincerest apologies. I have been swamped with trying to get scholarship money to go to school and I am just now getting settled in my dorm. I appreciate the patience you have all shown me and I can only hope it doesnt take another month for me to update. Please R&R and give me any feedback you have, I would aprreciate it even if I am unworthy at the moment.

* * *


	5. Chapter 5

**Make Me Forget**

Disclaimer: I do not own bleach, all non bleach characters and the story line are my only original contributions

**Chapter 5**

She had been sitting there listening to her friend yelling at her over the phone for the past thirty minutes, only five of which had been about the hole in the side window of her car. The rest had been about Soi.

"Kūkaku, I know-…Yes I understand but-…I can't just walk in there and tell her what happened, even if it would fix things." She sighed before continuing, having silenced her friend for the time being, "She has to want to know, she has to want to forgive me and I get the impression that she really, _really_ doesn't want to. Its like she keeps fighting herself about what to do with me…"

They were both quiet for some time, contemplating their next moves in this situation. Kūkaku spoke first, her words causing Yoruichi to chuckle exasperatedly, "Yeah, I'm beginning to see that too. She really is as stubborn as I am…That's why I can't just go after her though, she'll run the more I chase her. I guess I just have to wait it out…I was stupid to think we could go back to how things were, I should've known she wouldn't really understand, not without an explanation…I just thought she'd at least be more willing to hear me out."

She listened to her friend as she nodded her head in understanding, "Yeah, you too. I'll see you later and thanks for the help. I should be heading back over there either later tonight or tomorrow. As soon as we file this restraining order I guess. Bye Kūkaku." With that they both hung up. Yoruichi set the phone on the coffee table in front of her as she massaged her temples. "Mmhmmm what am I gonna do?" she softly growled out. She stood up from the couch and walked towards the master bedroom. Soi had left the door open a crack to reassure her old lover that she would be ok and in the event she needed something she'd be able to just call out for it. She leaned against the doorway and just watched her sleep for a few minutes, Soi looked so peaceful there, curled up in a small ball clutching onto a deep purple pillow. She turned away, a slight smile on her face as she returned to the living room. Plopping down on the couch once me, she leaned back until she was staring at the ceiling. All the events of the past day came rushing back to her in such a rush that it was overwhelming.

"I probably need sleep too," she glanced over at the clock and grimaced as she saw it strike just after nine a.m. "Fuck, I've been up for over twenty-four hours…that can't be good." A few minutes later, both women were sound asleep, recovering from the chaos of the past day.

* * *

Soi was the first to wake, watching the goddess spread out over her small couch that was really closer to a love seat. _She looks so tall compared to it, that can't possibly be comfortable for her. _She shook her head at the thought of simply waking the woman up and taking her to her bedroom, she had too many memories of Yoruichi and herself behind closed doors.

A small voice in her head kept asking her 'Why do you fight it?'

'Because it would hurt worse if I just gave in…'

'Bullshit, it wouldn't hurt at all. This could be the one thing that could finally save you, finally heal all the pain you drag with you.'

'And what happens if I take her back, if we go back to the way we were and she leaves again?...How do I live with having lost her twice?'

No answers came as she fought off the tears threatening to fall. She turned away from the beautiful woman she missed so much and walked back into her room. She came out thirty minutes later, having showered, changed and called one of her favorite Chinese food places to deliver something for her and her guest to eat. She nearly laughed when she saw Yoruichi clutching one of the decorative pillows on the couch, one leg completely off the small piece of furniture while the other draped over the side. "This woman can sleep through anything," she smiled. She found that even now, still she marveled at how incredible she looked, how serene her features were when she slept, how sexy her lips were when they parted with each breathe. She moved closer as if in a trance. Her fingers moving to brush the purple strands from her goddess's face when the pain that slight movement caused froze her. She sighed as she directed her attention to her damaged hand and moved away. She hadn't taken more than three steps when there was a knock on the door. Thinking that it might be the delivery man with their food and not wanting anymore noise to wake up Yoruichi. She steeled herself for the pain that was about to feel in her hands and in one swift movement, unlocked and opened the door, hissing by the time she completed the action. She quickly recovered however when she saw it was Kūkaku, "What are you doing here?" it came out harsher than she intended due to the pain but the taller woman simply brushed it off, holding up the bags of food the delivery guy left her with. "I told the guy I'd cover the bill since I was going inside anyway." She glanced behind the smaller girl and smirked slightly, "Although since she's still sleeping, I guess I should just talk to you out here." She set the food down between them as she took a seat on the porch steps.

"Sit down, this may take a while depending on how stubborn you choose to be." Scowling, Soi sat beside her. "What is it, then?"

"You're an idiot." She noted the shocked silence the Chinese girl gave her.

"You came all the way to my apartment, paid for my food and told me we needed to talk just to tell me that _I'm an idiot_?"

"More or less," she sighed before continuing. "Quit holding onto things that hurt you both and do you no good, Soifon. Yoruichi isn't the one that chose to leave you. You were the one who gave up on her though."

"What do you mean I gave up on her? She left, what was I supposed to do, wait for her to come back so I could rush back into her arms? I refuse to be so weak-" she was silenced as Kūkaku grabbed the collar of her shirt and twisted the girl to face her.

"You and your damn hatred of weakness! Newsflash Soi, reliving the pain and pushing the woman you love away doesn't make you stronger. It makes you fucking stupid," she released her abruptly, "…She doesn't even have the strength to tell me all the hell she went through while she was away. All I know is bits and pieces, but she's so willing to tell you everything...listen to her already." With that she stood up, leaving the smaller woman to digest all she had said. She stopped before leaving the entry gate and tossed a set of keys at the recovering girl, "Give these to Yoruichi, tell her not to get a rock thrown at this one too." She then pulled out a set of spare keys to the damaged vehicle, leaving the black sports car she drove there in for her friend to use while she went to get the other one repaired.

* * *

When Soi finally stood back up, grabbing the food, and entered her apartment again, the first thing she noticed was a stirring woman getting up from her couch. She flashed a small smile at the tired looking beauty and walked into the kitchen to set the food down on the table. Yoruichi made to follow her while rubbing her eyes and almost collided with the smaller girl. The hand on her chest quickly brought her attention to just how close she came to toppling Soi and she smiled sheepishly, apologizing. "Sorry Soi," she was cut off by a yawn, "I should've paid more attention to where I was going." The Chinese girl simply shock her head and steered her to the table and waiting food. "Don't worry about it, you're probably still exhausted from all that's happened." After the goddess was seated she took her seat opposite her and started distributing the bags contents. Still caught up thinking about all Kūkaku had said, she failed to notice the woman staring at her, more alert now. Once the food was set, she turned to pick up her chopsticks when a jolt of pain caused her to drop them an instant latter. She cringed and then scowled at her food as if it was the cause of her pain. _I guess I was so hung up on what she told me that I didn't notice how much I was overdoing it…_ She sighed as she sent one last menacing glare at the table before looking up to find Yoruichi scooting her chair closer to her and picking up her own chopsticks. She noted the confusion on the smaller girl's face before she picked up her food and offered it to her. At first a look of indignation crossed her face until realization filtered through, "I'm not gonna be able to feed myself with my hands like this, am I?"

"It's not likely, my little bee. Not for a while at least. Give it a full day of rest and then I'll let you be all big and bad and push through the pain if you want. I promise." She smirked playfully as the other girl let her feed her. Sometime later they finished their meal, amidst much laughing, joking and flinging of food at one another. Yoruichi had just finished cleaning up their mess when she noticed the pensive look the smaller girl was sporting. "Hey, Soi what's up, is something wrong?" The girl snapped out of her revere to look at the woman she had just been mentally debating about. It took her a few minutes to actually answer, between which the goddess before her had moved to kneel staring into her quiet features.

"Yoruichi…tell me what happened…tell me why you left."

* * *

**AN:** I'm sorry, for taking so long, for almost abandoning this story, for not knowing how to continue it…the list goes on. It started out as just a dream I had one night, it should've been a oneshot but I liked it and wanted to see how far I could take it. Then for the last 9 months of my life I've been completely away from the updating mindset. Now I have yet another break up with my semi-fiancé and I suppose its kinda helped me get back into the Make Me Forget mindset. I know its short, I can't designate a length for the chapters anymore but I can put as much relevant content in them as is possible. I reread all the reviews I've gotten for this fic so far and I want to thank everyone who's written them. Going back over the encouraging words you all gave was what helped me get back into it. I'll try to update regularly, I'm attempting to make it at least once every 2 weeks but between work and my over fic as well as my tattoos, novels, animes, movies I'm kinda swamped on a creative level. I hope it was a good enough chapter to bring you back into the story since I doubt it is good enough to make up for the year it took to actually post it.


	6. Not a Haitus

Not a Hiatus…

* * *

To everyone who has stuck with this story and are still reviewing it, I have but one thing to say to you all: you guys are the greatest fans anyone could ever ask for.

I'd like you all to know that this is not a hiatus and that this story will continue soon. All the turmoil that life has put me through has given me a new lease on my imagination and I WILL NOT let this story die. I must admit that I know precious little about Bleach so that's why it's been so hard to work on this story but starting today I'm putting myself through a crash course on the character interactions so that I can write you all a better fanfic. Make Me Forget was originally supposed to be a one shot (because I haven't watched the series enough to know the ins and outs of it in order to write about it) but I made the mistake of continuing it and now I must complete it for all of you.

I take those who like my stories very seriously and I ask that you all just do me the kindness of not giving up on me just yet. Expect an update by mid March at the latest as I deal with my work, school, my novel and my other fic at a nonstop-no free time pace in order to knock these stories out. Yelling at me to not miss my deadline would be much appreciated but it's not expected. If anyone has a mastery of the series and would assist me in pointing out a few episodes that have a lot of detail about Soi and Yoruichi's past and individual character as well their major interactions together then I'd definitely be able to update faster rather than sitting down and watching everything from start to finish just to understand more.

Well that's all I can say for right now, once again just keep kicking my ass til March 14th to get another chapter up. I truly do appreciate you all.

* * *

Sincerely yours,

~rest for the wicked


	7. Chapter 6

**Make Me Forget**

Disclaimer: I do not own bleach, all non bleach characters and the story line are my only original contributions.

**Chapter 6**

"Yoruichi…tell me what happened…tell me why you left."

_**~Flashback~**_

…_**two years ago…**_

"_Soi…I'm sorry but my parents want…they want me to come home now, they say it's important and that I have to be there. There was no room for argument." She signed heavily as the smaller girl pulled her into a tight embrace. She breathed against her girlfriend's chest, "Your parents are such a cock-block, Yoruichi. But it's ok if you have to go, I understand," she pulled back enough to smile up at the girl in her arms, "Just call me when you are done dealing with them. I'll be waiting to hear from you." They separated and shuddered at the loss of contact and warmth._

"_Are you sure you don't want to finish what we started before I leave?" she flashed her trademark, mischievous grin and received a lighthearted, playful slap in response. "Very well then, my little bee. If I can't call you later then I will definitely stop by to see you tomorrow, baby."_

"_You promise?"_

"_I promise, Soi."_

"_I just wished we could have spent more time together tonight, I don't want you to go, Yoruichi." Just the way she said those words made it seem like they held some far deeper meaning to the smaller girl, as if she said them as a substitute for words that meant much more than what she was willing to say just yet. The taller girl gently touched her girlfriend's face, bringing her attention back to the girl before her, "Hey, I don't want you leaving here sad, my little bee. I don't want to go either but I have to see what my parents want first. Then I will come back to you…I'll always come back to you Soifon, I promise." The Chinese girl nodded and kissed her girlfriend gently before turning away. She couldn't fight the tears rising up inside her, she didn't even know where they were coming from. The only thing she truly knew was that she had a very bad feeling about the events that would happen after tonight._

_It was a little over half an hour before Yoruichi finally made it home. She had opted to take a more scenic route in attempts to dispel the mounting tension in her body, but to no avail. It wasn't until she crossed the threshold of her parents' home that her muscles were practically screaming to turn back. Accrediting this to the fact that she would much rather be with Soifon than anywhere near her parents presence, she pushed forward; through the large estates front door and into the entryway flanked by guards. Their strategic positioning left a path open for her leading to the dining room area. _

'I haven't really spent time with them since I started dating Soi…maybe that's what all this is about, it's had to have been well over a year now…'_ she thought to herself as she gently pushed open the French doors separating her from her parents. Yoruichi had but a moment to register the shock of seeing Soi's father sitting rigidly beside her own patriarch when she felt the hands of the nearest guards upon her._

_Her initial instinct was to fight them off, however their hold slackened before she could even raise her fists. A word from her father left only three guards standing close to her while the others staged themselves along the wall behind her. _

_She chanced a glare at her father, one mixed with equal parts anger and confusion before catching the disinterested look in his cold eyes. "Sit down, Yoruichi," he gestured to the chair across from him and she silently obeyed._

_She refused to voice the question nagging in the back of her mind, knowing full well that it would be answered in due time. Instead she chose to take in whatever threats surrounded her. Two guards, one to either side of her chair with the last directly behind her. She tried to focus on their hands, looking for any weapons they might use against her if she were to bolt. Sensing only the 9mm that were their standard issue she forced herself to visibly relax. They wouldn't shoot their boss's only child no matter how much hell she raised._

_Her ears perked at the sound of footsteps coming their way only to find her mother pause in an exchange with the guard behind her before moving off to stand beside her husband. The man she addressed moved to place his hand on the girl's shoulder, firm enough to sense if she made any sudden movements but not enough to hurt right away. Yoruichi scowled due to the unwanted touch and finally decided to address her father directly only to have him beat her to it._

"_I hope you realize that we've allowed your behavior to go on long enough."_

_Immediately dreading the turn this conversation was taking, she spoke up firmly, "And what behavior might that be?" The man before her waved his hand dismissively as he slid a series of photos towards her. Glancing down at the briefly, Yoruichi nearly did a double take as she noticed the subjects of the images. They were all of her and Soi, clearly being intimate, taken that very evening while they were at the park. Perplexed she looked back at her father. While it was true she never told them about the extent of her relationship with the girl, she knew for a fact that it was more than a little obvious at times. They had never voiced a complaint about it before now._

_She didn't expect Soi's father to be the one to finally answer her. "Your relationship with my daughter, please…I hope you understand it mustn't continue." Her eye's quickly locked with his pleading ones when he continued, "We'll lose everything if you don't stop seeing her. Your parents …your father has spoken with me directly, I'll lose my job…my family may be deported. I can't do that to them. Please, we've just now built a sense of stability for ourselves-"_

_She immediately cut him off with an outburst aimed at her own father, "You have no right! Her family did nothing to deserve this, what purpose could ruining their life ever serve?" So much anger swirled in her golden eyes that she didn't even fault the guard who strengthened his hold on her shoulder._

_What did her parents hope to gain, separating her from Soi like that? Did they dislike her relationship with the girl that much? Were they that adamant against preferring the same sex? Everything they were doing simply seemed to have come out of nowhere. She'd been dating her for over a year, surely they hadn't just now noticed… "Why are you doing this?" she tried to get out, only to have stopped at the first syllable as a needle drained its contents into the side of her neck. Shook was the only emotion she could register as she tried to process what had just happened. She hadn't even noticed the guard who had been holding her this entire time move, she knew he didn't have anything on him when she had sat down earlier._

_Her mind quickly flashed over to her mother who had spoken with him by the time she was already seated, 'Could she have slipped him the syringe?' Her vision was starting to go by the time the needle was removed from her neck, whatever it had injected was proving to be extremely potent as her entire body swayed. Her last coherent thought was the question she had been trying to voice before her entire world went black._

_The next few weeks Yoruichi barely remembered what had transpired at her house the night she had left Soi's side. She flowed in and out of consciousness due to the tranquilizers constantly in her system. Every time she awoke with enough clarity to think it was to the same thought, 'Where am I?' Her parents had moved her to a mid-sized apartment in a town she did not know while she had been sedated. She barely even saw them in the months to come as they enrolled her in a private school with a clear warning, if she so much as attempted to contact her friends, the threat to her girlfriend's family would be carried out. _

_She was left without a phone or a laptop and in the charge of a constant rotation of bodyguards who trailed her every move. Countless times she had tried to run away only to be restrained and confined to the prison that was her new home. Eventually she finally began attending her new school only to find that it was worse than anything else she could have ever imagined. She could have sworn that the group of males who followed her around the campus was paid to do so by her family, just an added attempt to keep her in line if the need ever arose. She was more than capable of fending them off during the first few months of confrontation, but as the days went on their numbers seemed to be growing, and with it a fear she had never known before._

_**~End flashback~**_

Looking back, she couldn't recall the exact event that had left her feeling so defenseless and utterly terrified of them, but all she did know was that the fear they eventually instilled in her was paralyzing. At one point in time she had simply refused to go to school only to have her father's bodyguards force her out of the apartment. It was during this time in her life that she had never felt so week…constantly trying to escape, always being guarded, caged, provoked…it was no wonder she finally snapped at her aggressors. Yoruichi had endured a year and a half of the constant fear and abuse before rage finally got the best of her.

They found one of the boys badly beaten, nearly dead just outside the school grounds one day. When he finally received medical attention he was found to be comatose at the time, as far as Yoruichi knew, he still was…They never found the other boy, though. They probably never would, even she couldn't remember what exactly she did to him. After that she simply ran away, gathered a handful of her possessions and a substantial sum of money and fled. The first thing she sought out was to be placed in protective custody, and despite her family's influence she was able to do just that. Her father even let her be to seek out retribution as long as she didn't drag any accusations onto the family name. And so, for 6 months she was well on her way to feeling safe, finally out of harm's way even though she still found it too difficult to shake off the fear of everything she had gone through.

It was Soi's father that actually got in touch with her first, let her know that she was safe to return without jeopardizing his family. She hadn't thought about contacting any of her friends even after she fled her former prison, for fear of the threat her family had made. _Any attempt of reaching out to them would end with Soi's family suffering greatly._

Shortly after her conversation with him she found herself on the nearest train, making her way back to the woman she was forced to leave. She didn't know how Soi would receive her, it'd been so long without so much as a word passing between the two but she knew she had to at least try to explain. Not knowing how to approach the smaller woman in her present state and refusing to seek any shelter from her family, Yoruichi turned to the only other person she trusted.

Kūkaku had forced her assistance on the girl the before she was even halfway finished explaining her absence once she finally ended up back in town. The dark woman's attempt at moving past those events only succeeded in causing her to suppress the worst of them. Snapping out of the nostalgic haze Soi's words had triggered, Yoruichi realized that there wasn't much she could actually tell her former girlfriend aside from what all her mind had let her remember of those two years. This included the, often times, unshakeable fear that she continued to suffer from even though the cause of which was locked deep within her subconscious.

"This is not going to fun," she finally spoke and slowly began to explain all that she could about what had befallen her in her two year absence.

* * *

AN: That took an ungodly amount of time to write. I sincerely apologize for missing my deadline to update back in March (having several fractures in one of my legs, a shortage of free time due to both work and school and writers block that flared up every time I so much as opened this document to continue it being my only excuses). I know it may not be the same quality but I'm finding it harder and harder to focus on this fic and update it. I'm reaching out to those who still read it to assist me, if anyone would like to help me co-write this or if someone has thoughts on adopting it I wouldn't mind at all. I'd like to apologize to any errors that may be present but at this point in time I am too frustrated to do anything but post this. Forgive me for Yoruichi being a bit out of character, I suppose I have no excuse for that.

I would like to thank those who continued to review this and for the readers who gave me the episode numbers to the show for research. I do have some of what I gathered from your help set aside in notes for when I show more of their interaction if I can figure out what to do with this story (if it remains in my hands I'm currently torn between 3 different plotlines to follow). I can say that for the next chapter, expect either more elaboration about those 2 years she was missing or more present day interaction between the two...still a bit undecided on which sense I didn't explain much of anything about what actually happened to Yoruichi when she was gone. Just know that if its not explained in the next chapter, it'll come in the future ones.


	8. Chapter 7

**Make Me Forget**

Disclaimer: I do not own bleach, all non bleach characters and the story line are my only original contributions.

**Chapter 7**

The minutes felt like hours in the tense silence after Yoruichi finished recalling all that she could of the past few years. Soi didn't know how to respond. Once again, all she thought she knew of the woman before her was thrown out the window. She continued to stare at her former lover in silence until she heard a tired sigh come from the golden-eyed girl.

"I guess you're not the only one who has something they want to forget," glancing away from the woman she still felt so strongly for in search of the time, Yoruichi rose from the table and pushed in her chair. "It's getting pretty late, I'm just gonna go, Soi. The antiseptic we used on your hands acts as a numbing agent too I think. You should be able to do some minor stuff until you get them looked at. If you need anything else just let me know…my numbers still the same if you still have it," she trailed off then, hoping that the smaller girl actually had kept her number.

"I-I don't have it any more, I…deleted it once you got back." Soifon flinched at the completely crushed expression that came onto the other woman's face before she could properly mask it and just watched as she scribbled something on a nearby notepad before mumbling something along the lines of goodbye and leaving the apartment. Feeling as if the whole world was pushing down on her, the black haired girl slumped into her seat at the table.

"What am I going to do…" Kūkaku's words replayed in her mind as she sat there. _Reliving the pain and pushing the woman you love away doesn't make you stronger,_ "…It makes you stupid," she sighed. She spent a few minutes more lost in thought before she finally rose from her seat and made her way to the bedroom. Stripping slowly, she let her mind go on autopilot and showered before reapplying what medicine she had for her hands. Dressed in a gray cotton shirt and boyshorts, Soifon finally collapsed on her bed, cellphone in hand as she dialed the number she had been wanting to call since the moment Yoruichi left.

The phone rang a few times before being answered, the soft, confused voice on the other end asking if everything was alright.

"Hey, I'm sorry it took so long to call…I know, I'm fine though, it's ok…How are you holding up?...I'm glad…No, no there was a reason I called…Look I don't need any help, I just…Dad, there's something I have to ask you about when Yoruichi left."

* * *

"Damn girl, if ya ask me you're better off without her ya know."

"Why do I always get the feeling that you're imposing your own thoughts and principles on me?" the melancholic woman joked to her best friend. "I love her Kūkaku, nothing's gonna change that. Just being able to talk to her again helped me ease past all that crap with my family."

"Didn't she just have you relay, in vivid detail I might add, the exact shit you went through cause of your prick ass family though?"

"That's beside's the point," she answered, frowning at the brash woman. "Look, she had a right to know why I ended up hurting her like that, alright?"

"Whatever you say," she shrugged after a moment's pause. "So where are you two going from here, if ya don't mind my askin'?" She got up raid the Shiba family's liquor cabinet after she received no answer. When she returned, Yoruichi still had that same pensive frown on her face. In an attempt to ease her darker friend back into happier spirits, she gave her one of the bottles she'd been holding and spoke once more. "Now look here, that's some grade A, quality stuff I just got ya, and your girl's the same. Soifon's a smart one. Now that she knows what happened to ya she ain't gonna waist time holding a grudge that she has no right holding. Just wait and see, she'll probably need a moment to digest what you told her but she'll come looking for you soon enough and you two can get back to that disgusting business people do when they're in love."

"Disgusting business huh?" Yoruichi finally cracked a grin as she took a swig from the bottle in her hand, grimacing as it went down.

"Exactly, stuff like cuddlin' and staring at each other like that person is your own personal sun to revolve around. Its damn disgusting is what it is." Kūkaku answered before chugging half of her own bottle like a pro.

"What would I do without you?" the darker woman chuckled before holding out her bottle in salute. The two woman clinked glasses for good measure and spent the rest of the night doing their best not to worry about what was going on with the rest of the world.

* * *

Soifon shot a death glare at her clock as it flashed 2:43 a.m. It had been over four hours since she had gotten off the phone with her father and she still couldn't sleep. _Why does everyone feel the need to hide things from me in order to protect me?_ Growling in frustration once more at the clock, Soi threw one of her pillows at the offending electronic before rolling over and curling into a ball. _Why didn't she just tell me…I don't care about how much her father was paying us, we would've managed if he actually did fire dad. We could've found more work. She didn't have to leave…_

Thirty minutes later she finally accepted that she wouldn't be able to sleep and reached for her cellphone. Flipping it open she scrolled through what few numbers she had until reached one in particular. The number matched the one Yoruichi had left on the counter and a small half smile broke out on the black-haired girl's face as she realized the number really hadn't changed. Once again the words from earlier rang out in her head, _reliving the pain and pushing the woman you love away doesn't make you stronger. "_All this time I had thought I was being weak by never deleting your number…the one time I tried, when you finally came back…I realized that even if it wasn't in my phone, I wouldn't be able to get it out of my head. So eventually I saved it again. Pushing you away has never made me feel stronger Yoruichi…you were the only one who could do that, who could make me not feel weak."

Soifon took one final breathe before finally pushing the call button. When her call went unanswered, she didn't know whether to feel dejected or relieved. _What was I going to say to her anyway, _she flipped her phone closed and was about to toss it aside as it started going off in her hand. Yoruichi's number flashed across the screen for not even a second before she hurriedly picked up the phone.

"H-hello?" she answered breathlessly.

"Soi, what's wrong? You called?"

"Yes…" _Christ, what am I going to say?_

"Is something wrong? Do you need me to come over?"

"What- no, nothings wrong, I just…"

Yoruichi waited a pregnant minute before Soi finally answered.

"I couldn't sleep."

Confused and still slightly groggy from falling asleep fairly early after getting drunk with Kūkaku, the tall woman tried to make sense of what her ex was saying. "Is your hand hurting you too much for you to sleep or something?"

"No," she sighed in frustration before finally deciding to tell Yoruichi what was wrong. "I called my father after you left."

"…Oh."

"Yeah, I guess I just need to have him corroborate your story and well…he did. I haven't really been able to fall asleep since I got off the phone with him."

"I see."

Taking one more steadying breathe, Soi pushed on before the other woman choose to just hang up on her. "Yoruichi, can you come over please?"

"Now?" needless to say she was taken by surprise at the request.

"…Yes?"

After a moment of silence that the smaller woman was going to take as a no, she got a response. "I'll be there in a bit." Soifon couldn't help the smile that worked its way out of her.

"Ok, I'll see you then."

"Sure thing, little bee." She was about to hang up when Soi got her attention once more.

"Wait, there's something else…"

"Yeah?"

"I still have your number saved."

"What?"

"I kept it all this time…I-I did delete it when you came back, but I put it back in my contacts a few days later. I never got rid of it permanently." Her confession was met with a brief pause before she could practically hear the other woman smiling.

"Thank you Soi, I'll see you soon ok?"

"Yeah, ok." She didn't really know what else to say, so they hung up. Fifteen minutes later, she would get out of bed to the sound of tires screeching on the road as some car slammed on the breaks, followed by someone aggressively knocking on her door. When she opened it, Soi would see that Yoruichi still had that smile on her face from their phone call.

* * *

**AN:** Forty years later I decide to come back. Sorry it's not much guys but it was a stretch to bring this thing from its original 582 words to the 1580 that its ending at. I hope it is well received after all this time although I will understand if it's not. I'm still unsure of how this one will turn out but I've decided to play it by ear rather than let it gather dust waiting on a grand master plan to just appear in front of me. Thank you to all of you who reviewed and favorited in spite of the long delay. I wish you all well and hope you enjoy.


End file.
